Paul and Eutychus (Acts 20:7-12)
A young man named Eutychus fell to the ground from the third storey and was picked up dead. Paul went down and put his arms around him, and his life returned
This is the last records of THE DEAD BEING RAISED:
1️⃣ Elijah raises a young boy (1kings 17:17-24)
2️⃣ Elisha raises a young boy (2kings 4:32-37)
3️⃣ Jesus raised widow’s son (Luke 7:11-16)
4️⃣ Jesus raised Jairus’s daughter (Luke 8:49-56)
5️⃣ Jesus raised Lazarus (John 11:43-44)
6️⃣ Jesus himself (Luke 24:6)
7️⃣ Peter raised Dorcas (Acts 9:36-42)
8️⃣ Paul raised Eutychus (Acts 20:9-12)
Paul and his companions stayed in Troas for seven days, and on the first day of the week, the believers gathered to celebrate the Lord’s Supper (to break bread). This is the first mention of Christians holding the weekly service on Sunday rather than on Saturday.
📌 As Paul was speaking on and on (until the midnight..), Eutychus fell asleep. He was sitting comfortably in the window, and perhaps the smoke from the many lamps (v 8) caused him to become sleepy. He fell down from the third storey and was found to be dead but later on his life returned after Paul hugged him .
Sleepiness during the sermon is directly or indirectly the devil’s work .
📌 Paul speaking/preaching until midnight is indeed a long talk/sermon. Like Eutychus, we have a number of church goers who sleeps during sermon.
📌 At the same time we need to refine our sermon ; pay heed to time factor ; read/know the congregation’s attitudes and above all how we present ourselves (practice what we preach).
✒ Paul writes, ” For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths ” 2Tim 4:3-4.
✅ True, the modern technology (social media etc) with its gadgets (mobile, I phone etc) has brought a great impact in the society.
Let God’s children master over it and use it wisely.. but do not replace Bible with mobile in the church.
🙋♀️🙋♂️ Believers in Christ, let us ponder upon the scene:” Paul coming down … and picking up the young man …, hugging him and bringing him alive, and then presenting him to his family “.
📌 Today, there are many people who are dead spiritually, and they are in need of love and care from the elders . We need Pauls.
Let us heed what befell Eutychus and try not to sleep in the Church.
Glory to God 🙌
✍🏾 Mark Boje, ArP 🇮🇳